Leader Praises Air Force, Its Drive Towards Self Sufficiency
February 9, 1998 - 0:0
TEHRAN The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, here on Sunday praised the Iranian Air Force for its honorable services to the nation, further calling on the corps to work for self sufficiency as a necessity for total independence. Addressing a group of visiting Air Force officers, the Leader lauded the force for its heroic pledge of allegiance to the late Imam Khomeini prior to the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, adding that the move had a significant impact on the strategy the late Imam adopted towards the army.
The commander-in-chief of the armed forces stressed the enemies' displeasure with the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces, adding that the arrogant powers were frustrated by the fact that the forces placed themselves at the service of the revolution, thus defying the foes of the revolution. ``Any justice loving individual who got to know our army, had praise for it. On the contrary, the enemies of God and justice, seized all opportunities to harm the force and show contempt for it,'' said Ayatollah Khamenei. Speaking of the efforts by the enemies of the nation in pre- revolution era to build an army totally dependent on foreign masters, the Leader praised the ``revolutionary honor'' displayed by the Islamic Republic's Army, a quality achieved through independence and broadest of efforts to attain self sufficiency.
Producing the needed hardware and training pilots and devoted experts are amongst principal responsibilities of the Air Force, the Leader stressed, adding ``it is a source of honor to see a nation reject the foreigners and tap on its inexhaustible resources to achieve progress. This is what our nation has accomplished in various arenas including the military, a prime example of which is what takes place in the air force.'' Prior to the Leader's speech, the commander of the Army's Air Force, Brigadier General Habib Baqai, declared the force's full readiness to carry out directives issued by the commander in chief of the Armed Forces. (IRNA)
The commander-in-chief of the armed forces stressed the enemies' displeasure with the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces, adding that the arrogant powers were frustrated by the fact that the forces placed themselves at the service of the revolution, thus defying the foes of the revolution. ``Any justice loving individual who got to know our army, had praise for it. On the contrary, the enemies of God and justice, seized all opportunities to harm the force and show contempt for it,'' said Ayatollah Khamenei. Speaking of the efforts by the enemies of the nation in pre- revolution era to build an army totally dependent on foreign masters, the Leader praised the ``revolutionary honor'' displayed by the Islamic Republic's Army, a quality achieved through independence and broadest of efforts to attain self sufficiency.
Producing the needed hardware and training pilots and devoted experts are amongst principal responsibilities of the Air Force, the Leader stressed, adding ``it is a source of honor to see a nation reject the foreigners and tap on its inexhaustible resources to achieve progress. This is what our nation has accomplished in various arenas including the military, a prime example of which is what takes place in the air force.'' Prior to the Leader's speech, the commander of the Army's Air Force, Brigadier General Habib Baqai, declared the force's full readiness to carry out directives issued by the commander in chief of the Armed Forces. (IRNA)